Clamp-truck.



encuen` BARR, 'or LA GENTER, WASHINGTON;

CLAMLTRUCK Specification of Letters Patent. l

Application led October 23, 1911,` SerialNo. 656,295.

To-aZZ whom t may concern Be it known that'I, GEORGEBARR, aciti` Zen of the United States, residing at La Center, in the county of Clarke and. State of Washington, have invented certainnew andi usefulr Improvements in Clamp-Trucks, of which the following isa specification.

The hereinafter described. invention re lates to that class of trucks designed for automatically clamping. boxes -or other articles desired to. be moved froinplace to place,. more'. particularly for: theA moving of boxes in` and` out and within factories and warehouses, the invention residing essentially in the means for actuatingthe. clamping members and. adjusting the throw thereof tovdierent sizes of boxesy the objectbe- -ing the production of. a Vclamp truck wherein .they clamping. means are` adapted forsa reasonable variation as to the sizes. of the Y boxes or packages toy be handled' by the ,designate any suitablewform of truck. frame provided with the. usual handles 2,..and Vthe frame` supportingtrollers or. .wheels 2. @Within the 'truckframe isfmounted for truck, land one wherein. a. st-rong and effective gripping ofthe boxes is obtained, theposition-ing of the Aactuating meansfor ythe gripping-arms or. clampsbeing such. as

yfully protect the samefromi damage bythe rough handling or usa-goto whichthe trucks vrare subjected; f j

- #To comprehend the. invention' reference `should be had to4 the accompanyingsheet of ydrawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the im* proved clamp. truck, theparts .being 1n position` fory holding a box. FigQ. isa rear. elevationof the truck.v Fig. 3:is..a perspective view of. the inner slide frameand theclamp- Vingimeans removed from thetruck. frame. vl4",ig:.4..is abroken detail side elevation lof yone ofithesidepieces of thetruclrframez.

Inthe .drawings,..the numeral. 1 is used to vertical movement an adjustableslidefframe ythrough thek crossendpieces of which worksrv a.. longitudinally movable actuating rod 4,Y` .normally held` upward by the tension ofia-.spring 5 connecting .the same. to the uppery end .cross pieceA of the adjustable kframe 3. Thesaid actuating rod4. is provided adjacent itsupper end. with ya vertically projecting pin or stud 6, which. ex-

.tendsA through the slotted-portions 7` .of the crossed` clampv carrying arms .or leversS and .8.- The upper .and lower .ends of these clamp carrying arms or levers work freely within the slotted guide portions 9. formed in the upper face portions of the side pieces 1a of theframe 1, the said. clamping arms or levers. crossing about the .center of the truck frame 1, the pin or stud 6 serving as a fulcrum for the. same.

The slide frame 3 is. provided in its side edges with the channels or grooves 9 into which' itthe guidepieces or rails 10 inwardly. projecting from` the side .pieces 1a of the truck frame 1. The frame is thus mounted within the truck frame for vertical movement for varying or adjusting the position of the clamp arms or levers relative toy thetruck fra-me for regulating thev range of movement of the clamp heads carried thereby, as hereinafter explained.

The actuating rodV 4 which extends through the end pieces of the slide frame 3 isf limited as tovertical movement by reason Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

offthe angular play permit-ted the clamp I arms movable thereover, each being pivotedy `the slotted-.portion of the crossed arms 8 and 8V tov depress or swinginwardly ythe lower ends of the pivoted levers for drawingy together 4the clamp heads 13,. which, when closed, engage with the. sides of the box to beremoved. by the clamp truck, the said clamp heads being. thrown outwardly by the upwardrmovement yof theractuating rod 4 due tothe. pressure ofthe spring 5 on the weight of the loadI being. removedtherefrom. The said clamp heads or engaging .devices lf3 are carried. ,by the'angular.ex-

tension. 12 projected from the lower. yendof `eachofr the Vpivoted crossed clamp varms 8 andfS, extended through. the lower slotted portionsof the sidepiecesla and.- projected a slight .distance beyond. the same. j

To the upper face ofone of the side pieces 1ay of thetruck-framel ispivoted a lock-barf14,.which is also centrally pivoted by a pin 14 to thefupper end .or head cross piece of the adjustable slide frame S-Fig. 2 of theA drawings. The. free end of the said lock-bar 14frests'between the pins15 downwardly projected from the opposing..` side piece 1a of the frame 1, the said pins serving as lock devices for the inner or free end of the lock bar 14. By changing the position of the lock bar 14, the slide frame 3 is lraised or lowered within the truck frame 1,

and the adjustability thus permitted the said frame 3 variesl the angular position of the crossed clamp arms or levers 8 and 8 relative to the truck frame and likewise the range of movement as to the clamping heads 13 in order that the distance thereof from the nose of the clamp truck and the throw thereof may be properly positioned relative to the box or package to be clamped onto the truck.

In operation, the truck is run up to t-he box to be moved having a width between the maximum limits of separation of the clamping heads 13, and when within the sphere thereof the operator by foot pressure applied to the foot extension 11 depresses the actuating rod 4, which, through the connection of the pin or stud 6 with the crossed pivoted clamp arms or levers 8 and 8, swings inwardly the lower end of the pivoted clamp arms or levers, placing the clamping heads 13 into engagement with the sides of the box to be moved.

As the clamp truck is withdrawn the load is balanced on the truck wheels, and the weight thereof falling onto the clamping heads or clamps depresses the same to firmly clamp the boX, and the greater the applied load the more the pressure of the clamping heads thereon, causing the same to firmly grip and hold the load relative to the clamp truck. It is obvious that as the load is deposited the weight thereof is released from the clamping heads, when the tension of the spring 5 automaticallyT exerts itself to force upwardly the actuating rod 4 and through its described connection throws outwardly the lower ends of the pivoted crossed clamp arms or levers and by so doing separating or spreading apart the clamp heads or clamps 13, so that the clamp truck is free to be released from the boX.

The projecting pins 15 form a series of seats 15 for the free end of the lock bar 14 of the adjustable frame 3. By shifting the engaging end of the lock-bar 14 from the lower seat 15 of the series and placing the same into the upper seat of the series, the slide frame 3 is raised within the truck frame 1, carrying the actuating rod 4 therewith, which, through its connecting pin or stud 6 throws outwardly the pivoted arms or levers 8 and 8 and by so doing giving a greater spread or separation to the clamp heads or clamps 13, thereby enabling' the same to receive therebetween a box of greater width than when the lock-bar 14 is in engagement with the lower seat 15 of the series of seats. This adjustment for the clamp head or clamps is not only desirable, but the same is necessary whereboxes of varying sizes are to be handled by the clamp trucks, as is the case in packinghouses, inasmuch as one clamp truck is capable of use in conjunction with the removal of different size boxes.

While in the present case a series of spaced projections, studs, or pins 15 are employed to provide the retaining seats for the free end of the lock-'bar 14 for varying the position of the adjustable slide frame 3 relative to the truck frame 1, it is obvious that any desired form of locking means for securing the free end of the lock-bar in its adjusted position may be utilized, and it is equally obvious that the clamp heads or clamps 18 may be varied as desired.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is- 1. In a clamp truck, the combination with the truck frame, of a pair of crossed clamp levers pivoted at one end to the said frame,

. clamping means carried by the free ends of the clamp levers, a spring controlled foot actuated rod for operating the clamp levers, and an adjustable slide frame for varying the throw of the said lever to adjust the clamping means to boxes of different sizes.

2. In a clamp truck, the combination with the frame thereof, of a pair of crossed clamp levers pivoted at their upper ends to said frame, clamping devices carried by the lower ends of the clamp levers, vertically adjustable means slidably mounted within the truck frame for varying the throw of the said clamp levers, and a movable connection between said means and the clamp levers for permitting free movement of the latter without disturbing the adjusted position of the said adjustable means.

3. 1n a clamp truck, the combination of a pair of crossed fulcrumed clamp levers, of pivotal connections between the upper ends of the said levers and the truck-frame, clamping means carried by the lower ends of the levers, an adjustable frame slidable within the truck frame for varying the throw of the clamp levers, lock means for securing the adjustable frame in locked p0- sition relative to the truck frame, and devices for actuating the clamp levers Without disturbing the adjusted position of the slide frame.

4. In a clamp truck, the combination with the frame thereof, of clamping devices pivoted thereto, an adjustable frame slidable within the truck frame for cont-rolling the throw of the clamping means, connections between the adjustable frame and the clamping means for permitting free movement of the latter without disturbing the position of the slide frame, a lock bar fulcrumed to the said frame and pivoted at one end to the truck frame, and lock means for securn the free end of the said bar to hold the slide frame in any of its adjusted positions relative to the truck frame.

5. In a clamp truck, the combination with the truck frame having its opposing side pieces provided with longitudinal slots, of a pair of slotted crossed clamping levers pivoted at one end to said frame and working in and projected at opposite sides of the said slotted side pieces, an adjustable slide frame within the truck frame for regulating the throw of the clamping levers,

`of clamping means carried b y the free ends of said levers, spring held foot operated devices for actuating the said levers, and means for holding the slide frame against movement during the operation of 'the clamp levers.

6. In a clamp truck, the combination with the truck frame, of clamping members carried thereby, of adjustable means within the frame for regulating the throw of the clamping members, devices within the adjustable means for actuating the clamping members, and lock means for holding the adjustable means against movement during the operation of the clamping means.l

7. In a clamp truck, the combination with the frame thereof, of the crossed fulcrumed clamping levers pivoted at one end to the truck frame, clamping devices carried by the lfree ends of the clamp levers, a vertically adjustable frame slidably .mounted within the truck fra-me, a spring held actuating rod slidably mounted Within the adjustable frame fori operating the clamp levers, and means for locking said vertically adjustable frame tothe truck frame against movement duringr the operation of the clamping levers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE BARR.

Witnesses 'j JOSEPH BROTHERS, I-I. E. CHAPMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. C. A 

